What is the importance of work life balance?
I know from experience how important work life balance is. I used to think nothing of working long hours, then going out for the evening, not taking the time to eat or sleep particularly well.
I was always in the “do”, or, as my parents would say, burning the candle at both ends. Then I got sick. I had to re-think not only what I was doing with my time, but also how I viewed my time. If you’re willing to acknowledge you have too many things to do and have over-committed, you have the control to change it.
Personally, I don’t like the phrase “balance”, it suggests a need of equal on both sides, which certainly isn’t true. It’s why I prefer alignment – it’s subjective to the individual.
What is a work life balance?
It’s the question of all questions. Career, money, and ambition can sometimes be very much at odds with family, religion and health. Personally, I prefer alignment. Balance implies that the two need to be equal and they really don’t. They do need to align with your goals.
Gender, time spent at work, and family characteristics were thought of as the three main factors for determining a balance. Gender differences could lead to a work–life imbalance due to the distinct perception of role identity. It was viewed that men prioritise their work duties to provide financial support for their families, whereas women prioritise their family life. Which was correct 15 or so years ago, because that’s all that companies/governments allowed for us. Men didn’t have the paternity rights and women were not being offered the roles that are slowly coming to fruition for us now. It’s no longer perceived that men are, and have to be, the only breadwinner.
Many more people have the flexibility to work from home, or run businesses from home, which can make finding a balance harder as the lines are even more blurred.
Work – activities which include:
- employment;
- running a company;
- looking for work;
- studying;
- caring for dependents; and/or
- running a home.
Life – activities which:
- connect with our value or belief system;
- inspire;
- motivate;
- enthuse; and
- nourish.
For a lucky few, work and life are both. For some, work life alignment seems to come easily. For others, it seems like a pipe dream.
Do you have an unhealthy work life balance?
Do you recognise any of these signs***? I can safely say that I’m guilty of all of them.
1. Feeling tired, and/or not getting enough sleep.
The optimal sign of stress is sleeping poorly. If you struggle to stay asleep, or to nod off at all, something is out of alignment.
2. Feeling irritable and/or struggling to focus.
Another great indicator of stress. Even more so when you don’t realise it’s happening. There’s too much to get done, you haven’t eaten in hours and you’re irritable so you can’t focus, which in itself makes you more irritable. It’s just no fun anymore.
3. Too much to do. All The Time.
I liken too many things to do with spinning plates. There’s a couple spinning well, a few slowing down and a few more about to slip to the floor and you can’t quite get to some of them quick enough.
4. Perfectionist.
Perfection strives from fear and doubt. Perfection saps motivation. If “good enough” isn’t good enough, it’s time to think about what you might be really worrying about.
5. Lack of quality time with friends and family.
It’s a bad sign when having to say no to friends and family because of work; or saying yes, but constantly checking emails etc.. Everyone can understand the occasional genuine work crisis, but not when they become the norm.
6. No time for self-care.
This is not just finding the time to get your nails done, go for a run, play a game of 5-a-side, this is also about having an actual lunch break.
What are the consequences of a poor work life balance?
In one word – stress. It affects us all, and situations affect each of us differently. Stress is the body’s response to harmful and threatening situations; it doesn’t know if they’re real or perceived. When you feel threatened, a chemical reaction triggers the “fight, flight or freeze” response.
We are designed to handle small doses of stress, but not chronic, long-term stress. Chronic stress can worsen many serious health problems from obesity and hair loss to anxiety or depression to heart attacks and stroke.
Symptoms of stress can include:
Emotional:
- easily agitated, frustrated, and moody;
- feeling overwhelmed, like you are losing control or need to take control;
- having difficulty relaxing and quieting your mind;
- feeling bad about yourself, lonely, worthless, and depressed; and/or
- avoiding others.
Physical:
- low energy;
- headaches;
- upset stomach and/or bowel;
- aches, pains, and tense muscles;
- chest pain and rapid heartbeat;
- frequent colds and infections;
- loss of sexual desire and/or ability;
- ;nervousness and shaking, ringing in the ear, cold or sweaty hands and feet;low energy;
- headaches;
- upset stomach and/or bowel;
- aches, pains, and tense muscles;
- chest pain and rapid heartbeat;
- frequent colds and infections;
- loss of sexual desire and/or ability;
- dry mouth and difficulty swallowing; and/or
- clenched jaw and grinding teeth.
Cognitive:
- constant worrying;
- racing thoughts;
- forgetfulness and disorganisation;
- inability to focus;
- poor judgment; and/or
- being pessimistic or seeing only the negative side.
Behavioural:
- changes in appetite;
- procrastinating and avoiding responsibilities;
- increased use of alcohol, drugs, or cigarettes; and/or
- exhibiting more nervous behaviours, such as nail biting, fidgeting, and pacing.
How do I improve my work life balance?
1. Don’t compare yourself to others.
Personality types, how people view their lives and what is really important to them vary greatly. Also, the culture of the company (and their corporate health and wellness programme) you work for will not be comparable with others.
2. Know your peak energy hours.
Are you a lark or an owl? If you’re a morning person try to plan to work on your complex tasks in the mornings and leave the simpler stuff for the afternoon. The opposite if you’re a night owl. It’s not when you wake but what you can do with it that counts.
3. Know your schedule peaks and troughs.
Schedule your year around the big commitments (holidays, weddings, birthdays etc) you can’t miss because of work. Similarly, if you know that Jan-Mar are your busiest work months with long days, explain this to loved ones and don’t over-commit yourself..
4. Learn To Say No.
It’s a complete sentence. Be assertive, not aggressive. Set your boundaries, and stick to them. If you give in at the first hurdle, people will continue to take advantage. Don’t take on other people’s problems as your own.
5. Set work hours and stick to them.
Or you’ll be working through midnight every night before you know it.
6. Delegate.
Use your strengths. Instead of being all things to all people, focus on your strengths and delegate to others so you can prioritise your time and energy.
7. Have morning and evening routines.
Be realistic. at the start of your day do the define what you want to achieve that day, and at the end ask yourself what worked, what didn’t, where it could change.
8. Exercise and calm the mind.
Take the time to make exercise a non-negotiable. It doesn’t have to be high impact; yoga works wonders. As we saw from the stress section a healthy body and mind means you will function better. Stop putting you, your health, and wellness second.
9. Have fun.
As with exercise, make time for something you love to energise and nourish you.
10. Take a break.
Take time out throughout your day. Eat regularly. Consume plenty of water. try and get up and stretch every hour.
11. Slow down.
Multi-tasking is a fallacy and spitting our focus over several tasks is not productive. Doing things right the first time will save time in the long run.
12. Stop Procrastinating.
I am definitely guilty of this one! So – Eat The Frog! Get the boring tedious tasks out the way sooner so they don’t play on your mind. Learn to love failure
13. Eliminate Distractions.
Alignment works both ways. A former colleague of mine would complain that she had to work through lunch and work late just to get everything done. I suggested that she makes a note of everything she does all day, including trips to the loo and kettle. It turned out that she was having several long personal calls in the day, every day, and surfing social media, not to mention planning a special holiday. It wasn’t her work that was the problem; but that she was letting her personal life interfere too much when she should have been working.
A healthy work life alignment is not a fixed outcome, or a plan-once-and-it’s-done strategy.
Flexibility to shift when and if needed is important, as is having the ability to cope with the challenges that life brings us.
1. Know that there is no ‘perfect’;
2. Prioritise your health;
3. Make sure you like your job, at least 80% of the time;
4. Don’t be afraid to unplug and take breaks;
5. Make time for your loved ones. Remember that no company will love you like your friends and family;
6. Just because you are struggling, doesn’t mean you are failing.
So, all work and no play can leave you stressed, dissatisfied and unhappy. Once I started to work out how my alignment works best for me I became more productive, happier, and less overwhelmed in all aspects of my life.
Therefore, find a healthy alignment that works for you and your goals.
If you’d like to know more, please Get in touch to find out how I can help you find your unique alignment.
Disclaimer — ***Symptoms can be vague and may be the same as those caused by other medical conditions. So it is important to discuss them with your doctor.